Fight For Your Freedom
by JabberJay444
Summary: Since reading the Hunger Games I've always been obsessed with District Four, so I decided to write a story based around District Four during just after the Victory Tour of Katniss and Peeta's Games going right through to the events in Mockingjay. It's written through from the perspective of Finnick's younger cousin and yes, everyone we know and love makes an appearance :)
1. Chapter 1

District four, my home.

With it's twinkling ocean, beautiful mountain scenery and excess of interesting wildlife.

There are so many breathtaking sights in district four, and it's people are one of them.

There is defiantly no lack of beauty here and compared to some other districts poverty is no issue either. People might be hungry sometimes, but no one ever starves.

We are happy, well fed enough and beautiful.

Well, at least the latter is still true...

Life in district four has drastically changed over the last few months, after Katniss's and Peeta's victory tour the mood in the air took its most drastic change since last years 74th Hunger games. People wanted to fight for the freedom we long believed we had no right to. Freedom from the Capitol, from the Hunger Games, from fear.

The Capitol fought back though, sent in more peacekeepers to enforce the rules more harshly. It's the dead of the winter and the electricity is off more times than it's ever on. The televisions only ever spring to life when it's a Capitol broadcast. When riots threaten to breakout our people are forced to stay indoors for two, three even five days. Wages are in the district industry, fishing, are cut and people begin to struggle.

My dad, as mayor of district four, has to be seen to supporting the Capitol and the peacekeepers in it's efforts so keep the district under control but I know what he'd be telling people if he could.

Revolt, Rebel, Fight.

Fight for your freedom.


	2. Chapter 2

I awake one morning, the snow falling outside but there's wood burning in the fire place of my bedroom that's giving out a comforting warmth and the relief that if the fireplace is lit then the housekeeper must be here. For now, the lockdown has ended. I drag myself out of bed and stuff my feet into my warm fluffy slippers, pulling my robe on before going downstairs to breakfast.

My parents are already sat at the table, my father with the newspaper he gets sent from the Capitol and my mother is sipping a cup of coffee.

The housekeeper, Mrs Storn, is at the stove stirring a pot of hot grain. I take my seat next to my little brother who's just turned three and has spent every day for the last week pretending to be a cat.

'Meoowwwww' he says and makes a weird noise which I think is him attempting to purr.

I ignore him, not because I want to be mean to him but because his childhood innocence annoys me. He doesn't know or care what's happening around us. I envy him.

'Saphirre at work?' I ask. Saphirre is my older sister, she's twenty one and works for the local dress maker. Fashion is her life, I'm convinced she should of been Capitol raised. Maybe even a sylist in the games...but I'm glad she's not.

'She had to go in early and catch up on some work' My mother says, draining her coffee. She looks stressed, she has dark circles under her eyes and her skin looks dull.

My father puts down his newspaper, if I thought my mother looked stressed it's nothing compared to how he looks like he's ages ten years over night.

'Crystal, Finnick called. He wants you to see him today' He says, folding the news paper slowly 'I said you'd be over after breakfast'

I nod slightly. It's a rarity that Finnick ever wants to see me these days...

Mrs Storn puts a bowl of hot grain before me and I take three spoonfulls before excusing myself to go get ready.

My bedroom has been decorated the same way since I was a toddler, pale blue with fish that look like they're swimming in the same direction along the walls.

I take another look out of the window and the snow appears to be coming down harder, I sigh and begin the resent the fact that Finnick has asked to see me. Winters in district four are short, last two months but they can get incredibly harsh and this year seems to be the worst for a long time

I get changed into a light blue winter dress that Saphirre made me when she first started working for the dress maker. I've chosen it for simple fact that it has a fantastic pair of winter boots that are perfect for the weather outside.

By the time I step outside my resent has turned into near anger at being dragged out of a warm home and into the snowy blizzard outside. My cheeks feel like they're being cut with blades as the wind hit them, my hair is soaked from snow flakes and I'm near frozen to the bone by the time I make the short walk from my home to the victors village.

The victors Village is a special section of the district - all twelve districs of panem has one- where the winner of the annual Hunger Games resides. There are twelve large beautiful houses.

I pass them one by one and notice Mags in the window of her kitchen. Mags is an elderly Victor, she won her games sixty five years ago and has a wicked ability to make a hook out of almost anything. She waves at me and I wave back, smiling politely. I walk up to Finnicks house and knock on the door.

'Crystal' He beams at me as he opens the door and pulls me inside quickly, shutting the door behind me.

'Good morning Finnick' I say annoyed, kicking off my boots 'So what do you want?'

I take my coat off and Finnick gives a light hearted chuckle, taking my coat from me.

'I figured I'd see my little cousin' He says, gesturing towards the kitchen, 'Make sure you're ok...I haven't spent enough time with you recently'

'You haven't spent enough time with me since you won those damn games' I mutter under my breath, hoping Finnick doesn't hear. Even with my annoyance I don't want to upset him, as it always does when ever the topic of his games comes up.

I walk into the kitchen and sit down at the table whilst Finnick puts my coat on the back of a chair by the fire to dry.

I stare at the fireplace, glad for the heat it radiates when I notice Finnick dangling a bag infront of my face. Goodies. Capitol goodies.

I make to grab the back but he pulls it away just before my fingers clutch it.

'You can have it so long as you don't ask to many questions' He says and I nod eagerly. I'm going to bug him anyway, I want to know what's bought on the sudden concern for me, even when he does bring home treats for me from the Capitol he usually just drops them off at my house. Never asks me to come over for them. I'm suspicious. Plus, I know that he trades in the Capitol for secrets. I just don't know what he trades with and I'm curious.

He hands me the bag and I open it excitedly

'So Crystal, how are you coping with all these lockdowns?' He asks as he sits down at the table opposite me. I shrug and pull my first goodie out of the bag.

'It's annoying, but it's not that bad I guess. Gets a bit boring being stuck in house but with the bad weather no one would be out much anyway. School would be shut. Most people can't work anyway' I shrug again, Finnick can't think of all the people in this district that I'm someone who's struggling. I'm the mayors daughter, our family is on good terms with the old peacekeepers. I'm the last person in this district who's struggling.

My first gift is chocolates. Luxury chocolates filled with different flavoured cremes.

'What's with the concern anyway' I ask, raising an eyebrow.

'It's just that things have been changing a lot and I'm not sure things are going to get better' He says 'Just making sure you're coping'

I pull my next gift from the bag, a bottle of perfume that smells pretty but I can't place the scents. It's a nice gift, but I think I prefer the chocolates.

'So Finnick?' I ask as I dip my hand back into the bag. He looks at me, giving me a look of warning but I carry on regardless 'You know something don't you? About the distrcts, the uprisings? You found out at the Capitol didn't you?'

'Just look at your last present' He says impateintly. I know he knows something and it's something big. I stare at him for a moment before my greed for presents takes over my greed for information.

I pull out a black scarf that has a magnificent animal in gold stitching at the bottom of one end. It takes a moment to recall the name of the animal. It's not one I've ever seen in front of my eyes, only in a book.

There's a book in my dads study, a very old book that I'm scared to touch most of the time incase it falls apart in my hands. It takes about the wildlife on show at a Zoo in the country that was before Panem rose from it's ashes. I liked looking at the pictures of the animals but the idea of a 'Zoo' saddened me. They lock animals in cages for the paying public to stare it. It seems barbaric - but then again we send a boy and girl to fight the death in the arena every year.

I remember showing Finnick the book when we were younger, showing him a picture of the animal on my scarf.

The name suddenly comes to me - a Giraffee.

I can't believe Finnick remembered that.

'Oh Finnick it's beautiful!' I exclaim, running my fingers along the stitching of the gold Giraffe.

I thank him several times over the next hour, the gifts are wonderful and the scarf is the icing on the cake. Finnick stands by the stave cooking a batch of Prawns for us before placing them on the table for us to help ourselves. We demolish them, chucking the peelings into a spare bowl.

I try asking him again what's going on in the capitol that has him feeling like he needs to look out for me all of a sudden but he ignores me every time.

I get ready to leave by midday, dissapointed that I haven't managed to get him to speak but delighted with the gifts. He hands me a bag for Saphirre and one for Kial too before I wrap my new scarf over my neck, going back out into the bitter cold.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next few weeks winter withdraws and there's a spring warmth to follow what used to be snow. It's about time too, I thought it was going to be winter for forever this year...

The only downside is schools back in session and I have to spend every day at school listening to drivel that I'm sure is lies the Capitol use to stop us from finding out what's really going on. I stop paying attention half the time, I spend it day dreaming about what Finnick might have discovered at the Capitol.

I've only seen Finnick once since he asked me to come to his. My father had a small party a few days ago and invited the district victors, the head peacekeeper and some of the more successful business men from the district. I hardly got to speak to Finnick the entire night, he had a polite few minutes of chat in close proximity to my father and then he disappeared to talk to one of the other district victors, Annie Cresta. I'm surprised she showed up, she's a little unstable after she won her games...tragic really. But from the way Finnick acts around her I think he might be sweet on her.

I'm staring at the clock on the wall in the classroom. There's half an hour left and I've never been so bored in my life, I can't wait to get home and out of these drab school clothes. My heads started to hurt from thinking about the uprising and what Finnick could possibly know when a voice from the school tannoy makes me jump.

'There will a capitol broadcast tonight at seven thirty. Viewing is mandatory'

A wave of chatter erupts in the classroom and one of my friends, Arrietty Rivers, turns to me to wonder aloud about what it could be for.

'I don't know, guess we'll have to wait and see' I shrug, not understanding why there seems to be a buzz of excitement. Mandatory capitol broadcasts are never usually anything good, majority of them are about the games and anything else is usually political announcements. Since the games aren't for another few months my bets are it's a political announcement. Here's hoping president Snow is stepping down as president...

I can't see that happening somehow.

By the time I get home from school I'm burning with curiosity, there's three and a half hours before the broadcast and I contemplate on dropping in on Finnick to try and bug some information out of him when my mother comes out of the kitchen.

'Oh Crystal, did you have a good day at school?' She asks, I know she doesn't really care and I know all she expects me to do is shrug or whine but every day she still asks me.

'No, it was boring. I have absolutly no idea what was going on most of the day' I sigh, kicking my boots off in the hallway and dumping my bag on the floor.

'Well you should try paying more attention'

I look up sharply, it wasn't my mother those words came from.

Finnick stands in the kitchen doorway, an irritating grin on his face.

'Shut it Finnick' I mutter and my mother shoots me a look. She has a soft spot for Finnick, his parents died in a fishing accident a year after he came back from his games. Despite this Finnick has never let my mother make too much of a fuss over him.

'Crystal be nice to your cousin' She says 'Finnick and Annie came over for a nice family dinner'

'Annie's here?' I ask, eyebrow raised. Finnick is definitely into her 'Right...well I'm going to get ready'

I kick my sandals off and dump my bag on the spot before going upstairs to my room.

Mrs Storn has opened the windows and closed the shutters so the room doesn't get to warm since my rooms has direct sunlight during most the day. On days where this hasn't been done my room has turned into an oven.

I change from my drab school uniform into a pair of denim shorts and a white T-shirt, leaving my uniform on the floor.

'Meowwwwww!' I hear from the doorway. Kial's pushed my door open and is on his hands and knees, crawling into my room. I guess he still hasn't stopped pretending to be a cat.

'No animals in bedrooms!' I say, laughing a little as he tries to make his weird purring noise 'I only let little brothers in here'

'Kial a cat!' He says and crawls over to me. Moms put him in shorts and a black shirt and drawn whiskers on his face in her darkest lipstick.

'No, Kial's a boy and he needs to act like one' I say a little to harshly because Kial folds his arms and sulks. I sigh and roll my eyes, grabbing a tissue from my dressing table.

'C'mere Kial' I lean down and wipe the whiskers from his face which reduces him to a fit of tears. I pick him up and take him downstairs to the kitchen. Finnick tries to take him from me but Kial just screams louder. Kial doesn't like strangers, which lets face it, Finnick might as well be.

After mom calms him down, Sapphire gets home from work and my father comes down from his study looking absolutely exhausted we all sit at the table to a delicious roast duck meal prepared by Mrs Storn, who's dismissed for the night pocketing a tip from my dad for the extra work. My dad always gives her a little extra when there's more people to cook for.

The conversation at dinner is fairly light hearted, Sapphire rambles on about all the pretty clothes she's been making, mom talks about her favorite topic which has always been other people.

Even Annie joins in with the conversation a few times, turns out she and Sapphire get along pretty well. Spend a lot of time talking about pretty clothes and hair.

Both Sapphire and Annie have beautiful hair, Sapphire with her long straight sunny blonde hair with a strip she dyes blue at the front. Annie has shiny wavy dark hair that brings out her bright green eyes.

My hair is dirty blonde and refuses to grow past shoulder length. Doesn't even bring out my sea blue eyes...

After dessert and coffee we all sit in the living room and gather around the TV ready for the Capitol broadcast, except for Kial who's falling asleep and taken to bed by mom.

I notice my dad massaging his head, looking more anxious as the moments pass by. I have a feeling he knows what this broadcast is about. I open my mouth, ready to ask him what's going on but the TV comes on and the anthem starts playing. I guess I'll find out what's going on soon enough..

Ceasor Flickerman is introducing Cinna, Katniss Everdeen's stylist from last years games. They show a bunch of shots of her in wedding dresses and my sister comments on every single one, exclaiming 'Oh my God that's amazing!', or 'That's absolutely gorgeous!'

For a moment I think that that's all what the fuss was about, just a big capitol drama about the wedding dress Katniss will wear when she gets married to Peeta Melark. Trust the Capitol to make such a big deal about it...but then I remember how anxious my dad looked waiting for this broadcast and I realise that Ceasor Flickerman is still on TV, telling us all to stay tuned for the next big event of the year, the 75th Hunger Games.

This year is a Quarter Quell, every twenty five years they add dangerous twists to the game all the name of making sure that the actions of the rebels will never be repeated.

President Snow is on stage, I get a shiver down my spine at the very sight of him. A young boy stands behind him with a wooden box.

President Snow reminds us all of the dark days and the previous Quarter Quells.

The first, every district was made to elect it's tributes, as a reminder to the rebels that there children were dying because of there choice to initiate violence.

The second, every district was required to send twice as many tributes as a reminder that two rebels died for each Capitol citizen.

And the third?

'On the Seventy fifth Hunger Games' Speaks President Snow, reading from a card pulled from the wooden box 'as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female victors shall be reaped from the excising pool of victors'

The silence in the room is almost deafening as the news sinks in. Excising pool of victors? It takes a moment for it to register, but by the time I realise what it means Annie has got there first.

Her screams of terror replace the silence and Finnick is holding her in his arms, trying desperately to calm her.

My mom has tears rolling down her face as she stares at Finnick and Annie.

My dad has his head in his hands.

I stare at my cousin comforting the woman who still has the odds on her side when he must realise that the odds don't even have a chance to be in his favour. A horrible selfish feeling bubbles up inside me, she doesn't scream because she may lose the person she loves, she screams because there's a one in three chance she's going back to the arena.

'Annie shut up!' I snap, by the time the words have left my mouth I realise I'm being incredibly judgmental but I carry on shouting 'There are two other female victors! Finnick is the only male victor in district four, he doesn't have even a glimmer of hope of someone else's name being picked and you're screaming hysterically!'

I storm out of the living room and upstairs to my room, slamming the door as loud as possible.

I fold my arms and huff in anger as the words I've just screamed at Annie really sink in. Finnick hasn't a hope, he's going back into that arena and not with twenty three kids, twenty three victors who have all won previous Hunger Games. Finnick mightn't even have that many sponsors this time either...

I sit on my bed and allow myself to think angry thoughts, I'm not sure how much time passes before there's a knock on my door.

'Go away!' I shout but the door opens anyway, Finnick walks in and sits next to me.

'I'm sorry I couldn't tell you' He says and I look at him, eyebrow raised 'I found out last time I was at the Capitol'

'You knew? Is that why you wanted to see me when you got back last time? Because you knew you'd be going back to the arena?' I can't believe he knew, he knew and didn't even say anything.

'Yeah, figured I'd try spending some time with my favorite little cousin...don't tell Sapphire I said that' He laughs a little but it's hollow, doesn't even sound like him ' I guess I've been doing a pretty terrible job'

'Yeah you have...' I try not to sound resentful, but considering how beyond irritated I am my effort hardly shows.

'I just wanted to protect you Crystal, I've been protecting you since I won my up you were my best friend, then I got dragged to the Capitol and when I came home I couldn't wait to spend time with you, goof around at the beach, play pranks on the locals, fish at the lake. Then President Snow decided he could make money off of me, and I refused...Crystal, my parents didn't die in a fishing accident, President Snow had them killed because I refused to let him sell me and then told me you'd be next if I continued to refuse' He explains. I stare at him in shock, horrified at what Finnick is telling me. I thought that being a victor, that winning the Hunger Games ensured a life of ease...but the Capitol killed his parents, my aunt and uncle, so that they could sell Finnick's body. A cold chill runs down my spine when I realise that Finnick agreeing to being sold keeps me alive.

The next thing I know I'm crying hysterically out of fear, fear for my cousin returning to the arena and selfishly fear for myself. I always thought that the only way I'd die at the Capitols hands would be if I was a tribute in the games, but learning that was never true has disturbed me.

Finnick tries to comfort me, like he did with Annie. I cry harder because I know that in some way it should be us comforting him. Telling him that things will be OK. Instead it's the other way around and suddenly I feel terrible for shouting at Annie.

He excuses himself and returns several minutes later with a cup of sweet tea for me after the worst of the sobbing has subsided. There's no more tears but I keep inhaling sharply and nearly drop the cup several times before it's even cool enough to take a sip.

I get through half the mug before I question how unnaturally sweet the sugar tastes.

'Finnick? Did we run out of sugar?' I ask 'it tastes like you made it with honey or something'

'No, I made it with sleep syrup' He confesses 'You need the rest'

I put the mug on the table beside my bed, my eyes have already started to feel heavier and Finnick gives me a hug before saying goodnight. I don't even have time to get changed before sleep takes me over and I drift off to sleep.

I dream of Finnick and I when we were younger. It was the summer just before his Games and he'd stopped me just before school that morning. Convinced me to go the lake with him instead. We spent the day fishing and laughing about everyone stuck in school, we were just getting ready to leave when I tripped on my shoe laces and fell into the lake. I cried then too, scared because in that moment I realised that being soaking wet and covered in mud that there was no way I'd be able to lie to my parents and tell them I was at school.

Finnick and I walked home in silence, his mom always used to be at our house so Finnick was always coming back to ours. When my mom answered the door Finnick told her that he'd stopped me two roads down from school and lied to me, saying school had been cancelled for the day so we went to the lake and he pushed me in because he'd been jealous that I'd caught the biggest fish.

Finnick got into so much trouble that day, Aunt Coral looked like she was going to beat him senseless. I got off with just being told to make sure of things before I believe my cousins lies.

I guess Finnick's always been protecting me, even before those games...

**AN: I'd be really grateful if someone could give it a review. Let me know what you're all thinking :)**


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